


One last time before I miss you too much.

by Jackb



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angst, Beelzebub love him for that, Beelzebub use they/them, Body Horror, Friendship, Gabriel is a bitch, Gen, Grooming, Light Dysphoria, Other, Post-Fall, Unconditional asexual love for each other, Wing Grooming, Wings, argument
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-15 14:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19297537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackb/pseuds/Jackb
Summary: Gabriel and Beelzebub had known each other for millenia before the Fall. Few days after the Angel War, Gabriel want to pass time with his past friend just one last time.Chap 2 & 3 are bonus where we see both Beelzebub and Gabriel returning, respectively in Hell and Heaven and have to justify some stuff.They are bonus, so way lighter than the main chapters, take it as such.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FireChildSlytherin5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireChildSlytherin5/gifts).



> Hi, English is not my mother tongue, the story is totally fine to read, don't worry, just warn me in case of huge error I might have missed, thank you :)
> 
> Enjoy ;)

Gabriel paced around impatiently, he was tired of waiting, if he had been waiting anybody else he would have brought a storm on them for making _HIM_ wait. But he had patience just for one person. The floor became warmer under his feet and crackled sickly until a figure emerged from it. He turned right it its direction.

 

« You made me wait. » Gabriel said outraged. Beelzebub rolled their eyes.

« Yeah, I made as fast as possible. »

« You know I can’t handle waiting. »

« Well, zsorry Lucifer asks a lot of us. So what did you call me for ? We are not exactly on the same side anymore. You recall ? »

« Perfectly, you all searched it, you all got what you deserve. » They rolled their eyes again.

« So what it is ? You have any interesting news for me or something ? You want a fight ? Aren’t _we_ supposed to wait Armageddon, you know. » They asked.

« Of course, no fight, no I wanted to see you for something else.. » He didn’t say, hesitating. Beelzebub sighed, exasperated.

« Arrrh, so what ? » They looked at the Archangel and he sold his answer with a look. Beelzebub had seen this look countless times over the years before the Fall. They smiled. « You’re not serious. »

 

Gabriel nodded Beelzebub exploded in a laugh.

 

« We’re enemies now, I can’t do that. »

« Oh come on, who care. Nobody’s going to know, and you know you’re the best in Heaven and now, Hell, on that matter. »

« If Lucif.. Satan learn that, He’s going to make me pay. »

« Come on, just once. »

 

Beelzebub thought about it.

 

« My wings took quite some damage during the war, I need your help. »

« Fineeeeeezz. » They agreed. « But just this once. »

« Of course. Also I need to ask, what is all those.. » He gestured toward the flies flying around Beelzebub.

« I’m a demon now, I’ve changed. »

« Obviously. »

« ‘Bother youzz ? »

« A bit. » He said with honesty.

« Still want me took take care of those pretty wings ? »

« Yes. »

« So where are we going ? It’s better if nobody sees us together. »

« There’s this new thing, called the Purgatory, it’s empty, it’s huge and nobody goes there, we should be left alone. »

« Alright, fine for me. After you. »

  
Indeed the purgatory was empty and transpired neutrality. Everything looked alike with very little difference and they took some time to find a spot that satisfied both of them. Gabriel unfolded his eight pairs of wings, they were ruffled and drab, two wings were in a pretty bad shape, they had nothing of the glory Beelzebub knew them to be, but underneath the filth you could still see their stunning color, all kinds of purple, lavender, mauve, gray and gold. Beelzebub had always loved Gabriel wings, they were beautiful, and so fitting of him and his personality. Their own were even more gorgeous, well, had been even more gorgeous, yet they always had a weak spot for Gabriel’s. It was a shame to see them in such a state but they would be sure to make them glorious again. They walked closer and stroked one of the wings like they had done so many times before.

 

Before the war, Beelzebub had the most beautiful wings in all Heaven. They knew all the tricks to take the feathers care game on top. And Gabriel had held the second place. When they first met, they both had been stunned by the beauty of each other wings and nearly from the start they had taken care of their wings with each other. It had been such a habit for the two of them that after some time they never groomed themselves alone, always with the company of the other.

Now after the war, Beelzebub hadn’t imagined they could find themselves back in this situation, to be able to contemplate the pairs of wings they had always loved, to touch them with care and adoration and mostly, to have their friend, well, ex-friend letting them do that. They were not on the same side anymore, enemies that would, when the day comes, fight against each other fiercely. They imagined the next time they would see this wings was right during Armageddon, they were glad to be proven wrong on this.

 

Beelzebub continued to pace around, letting their hands caress the feathers, taking note of all the damage and estimating how long it would take to put them back to their glory. It was going to be long.

 

They sat in front of Gabriel who pulled some tools and oils for Beelzebub. They took a small brush and started working with the precision and thoroughness they always had. Gabriel relaxed in the touch as he watched it going.

 

« You’re not taking out your wings ? » He asked after Beelzebub had finished brushing the third wings.

« No. »

« They took damage during the Fall, I imagine. »

« They did. » Beelzebub confessed starting on the fourth wings.

« You don’t have to be ashamed if they do not look like the way I knew them. » The Demon sighed. « Come on, I want to see them, don’t you want me to take care of them too ? You know ? Like we always did. »

« You know I always had to pass behind you. »

« Yes, but I know you liked it nonetheless. » He said with a smirk.

 

Beelzebub stopped working and came to face Gabriel, they weren’t smiling and the way they looked at the Archangel troubled him.

 

« What ? » He frowned.

« I don’t have wings anymore. » They confessed. Gabriel face went blank, his eyes wide.

« Wh-What do you mean ? » There was distress in his voice, it couldn’t be, Beelzebub had the most gorgeous wings in the whole universe. They couldn’t have lost them, right ?

« Well, that’s not quite true, I have a lot of wings, but the wings you knew are gone. »

« What do you mean they are gone. They can’t be. » He got up, serious. « Show me. »

« You don’t want to see that. All I have left is their corpses. »

« Show me. » He insisted.

 

Beelzebub unfolded what had been their wings before and turned their back. It was true, they were gone, all was left is the basis of three of them, it was nothing compared to the twenty-two pairs of wings they had before, not a single feather had survived, none had grown back or would either, not even a fuzz, it was just open flesh who had started to rot and bones, barely able to move.

Gabriel took a shaky breath at the sight. Touched by the loss, he had loved this wings so much over the millennia, now he would never see them again, never touch them again, it was dreadful. He touched one of them and Beelzebub took a step forward, fleeing the touch in a high buzz.

 

« That’z painful, careful. »

 

Gabriel was pained.

 

« Don’t make such a face, that’s the Fall effect, I’ve just been particularly unlucky. »

« You said you had a lot of wings, what did you mean by that ? » He asked, his face still serious. « Show me. »

 

And they did. Their body changed. Every feature disappeared in favor of moving little black dot, until all was left was a humanoid form, fully black and buzzing. Gabriel frowned but kept his eyes on it, curious. Then the dot sprayed. Thousands of flies flew around in heaps, leaving nothing of the original form of Beelzebub. The Archangel kept watching attentively, not making any move as the swarms approached him, the buzzing was loud and Gabriel hated it, but he did nothing when the flies landed on his wings covering fully all sixteen of them, he just winced.

He knew Beelzebub wouldn’t attack him now, there was no danger despite the incredulity of the situation as he watched his wings, all black now and it felt so odd, so dysphoric, it was not him at all.

 

« I see. » He simply said, voice low and disappointed.

 

The flies didn’t retract, on the contrary, kept moving on the feathers and pushed past it to reach those bellows until they met the fuzz. Gabriel winced, disgusted by the sensation. It was vibrating sickly, nothing painful, it was just extremely uncomfortable and he could not stand the feeling for long, he deployed his wings wider and flapped them vigorously to chase away all the flies. Beelzebub got the message clear and retracted all of their flies until they were fully reformed a good smile on their face whiles Gabriel was still grossed out by what just happened.

 

« Never do that again ! Ever ! That’s.. Disgusting ! You disgust me. » There was anger and defy on his voice.

« Wake up Gabe, I’m a Demon now. »

« Don’t call me Gabe, you’ve lost that right when you fell. »

 

Beelzebub exploded into a laugh again.

 

« Oh Gaby, you should look at your face, you’re so disappointed. » Beelzebub closed distance until they were close to him, very close. « I knew you wouldn’t like the change. »

« Oh course I wouldn’t ! You passed from magnificent to abominable. » They rolled their eyes.

« Such a shame ! »

« You choose it ! You fell ! » He reproached.

« And you didn’t, but if I can’t go back, you still can come below, you know. Stay with me ! »

« You know it would never happen. »

« Obviously. » They paced around him. « At least, I have an advantage now, I’ve cleaned your wings in no time, look at them. »

 

Gabriel did, and indeed all the filth was gone, his feathers were still drab and needed more care, but what would have taken hours to do, had been done perfectly in a minute or so.

Beelzebub grabbed a bottle of rich oil and shook it.

 

« Should we continue ? » They asked.

« No flies ! »

« No flies. »

 

Gabriel nodded.

 

Once again they sat together and Beelzebub started on a wing, smoothing every feather individually with the oil to nourish them and to restore their color and gloss. It was tricky because you had to dose the perfect amount of oil, too much made a disaster and too little just showed how bad you were at taking care of your wings, it also had to be harmonious, each feather had to send back the same brightness, or else it just looked terrible. Only the golden feathers could shine more, they, anyway, required more attention and an even richer oil as they had the tendency to be thirsty and dry quickly. But Beelzebub was not worried, their skill had not faded with the Fall and his friend would come back to Heaven with the most beautiful wings, like always.

 

As they reached for the fuzz, Gabriel closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation. It was so intimate. Beelzebub dived into the feeling and sensation as well. They had always loved to see Gabriel lost himself in their care, it made them happy and proud.

 

« How was the Fall ? » He asked. Beelzebub was grateful to be working on the back of a wing and thankfully was not facing Gabriel directly.

« Painful. » They answered after some time.

« It was deserved. Ouch ! » He turned toward them and watched the feather they had just ripped off, Beelzebub just raised their eyebrows in answer to his outraged face. « It’s true, this mess is all of your fault, all of you. The punishment was deserved. » Gabriel did not back off, he had no reason to do so.

 

The Demon played with the feather a bit.

 

« You know you better take good care of your wings, because the day we win Armageddon.. »

« You won’t win. »

« The day we win Armageddon. » They repeated. « I’m gonna take your wings as a replacement for the one I’ve lost.. »

  
They burned the exact spot where the feather they’ve just ripped out grew, now, no feather would ever grow back. Gabriel turned immediately, ready to attack.

 

« .. Firstly, for what you just said to me, secondly, as a memory of you, thirdly, so I can have back the most beautiful wings in the world, after all that’s what the Prince of Hell deserves. »

« Prince of Hell huh ! »

« Yes, and I will keep that with me.. » They moved the feather again under Gabriel nose. « ..Until I can have the whole set. And I want you to feel it’s missing, I want you to remember I’m coming for you during Armageddon. »

 

Gabriel watched them unimpressed. They resumed their position and Beelzebub continued their care on the wings.

 

« I won’t fight you directly. »

« Why not ?.. Wait, who do you think you will have to fight ? »

« Lucifer, of course. » Beelzebub chuckled.

« You really think that ? Come on ! We all know it’s Michael who will, or Metatron, but I doubt they will fight at all, Michael outrank you and is the lead of the Angel army, of course she’s gonna take the big boss, you, you will just take on a boss, like me. It makes more sense for you and me to fight than for you to go after Satan. »

« We will see. »

  
Despite knowing it was true, Gabriel hoped it wouldn’t come to that. But he also knew that when Armageddon arrives, he would have accepted to kill Beelzebub, it was the order of things, he couldn’t go after it. He knew he would come to term with it. Yet, right now, with the war fresh of just few days, if Armageddon begun, he wouldn’t be able to kill Beelzebub.

 

They talked a bit of how it was going on each side, what had changed, what had stayed perfectly the same. There was no animosity between them, like it should have, none of them felt like it. Angel and Demon, hereditary enemies, but right now, just friends, like they had been since the day they met.

Finally, Beelzebub had finished their work, Gabriel admired it with awe. He hadn’t hoped for this result, it was better than he thought was possible. There was still damage, it would just take some more time to heal, but the rest was perfection.

 

« I did my best. »

« You did well enough. » He answered, clearly teasing.

« Come on, I know at your face, you didn’t even expect this result. » Gabriel smiled.

« Thank you. »

« It was a pleasure. » Beelzebub took back the purple feather they had ripped off earlier and placed it into the inside pocket of their jacket. « I should go back now, it’s not good to be away for so long when we’re still in construction. »

  
Gabriel nodded, he was glaring at them with what looked love and affection, but restrain too.

 

« Normally it’s the last time we see each other until Armageddon, I assure you that we will win, like this time. »

« And I assure you WE will win. »

  
Gabriel chuckled.

 

« I’m gonna miss you. » Beelzebub admitted.

« Awwh. »

« Don’t give me that look. Just take care of your damn wings. »

« Of course. »

  
They both had this strange feeling. None of them wanted to go, they didn’t want to leave each other, because despite the last event, it didn’t wipe out the affection they had for each other. But they had to.

 

« I regret you fell. »

« I regret you didn’t. »

  
It was settled.

 

« Goodbye Gabe. »

  
Beelzebub separated into thousand flies and left the Purgatory. Gabriel just watched them leave until they were truly gone, then he joined his side back too.

 

 

Now, rest assured, it was not the first and last time they saw each other during those 6000 years. They just couldn’t wait that long. They just missed each other too much for that.

 

**End.**

 


	2. Beelzebub return in Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beelzebub return in Hell and raise question among Demon as Holiness follow them

When Beelzebub arrived in Hell, a lot of demons stared at them. It was not a surprise, they had been out for hours and after ruffling in Gabriel’s wings during those same hours, they reeked Holiness. No Demon dared make a move or says something about it though. Beelzebub had from the start asserted their position and you didn’t come to bother the Prince of Hell especially not if you were a low classed Demon. So they didn’t expect anything coming from them, and indeed, all they did was whispering behind them, it’s Dagon who made the attempt first daringly, driven by curiosity.

 

« What’s in your pocket ? » She asked, friendly but bold.

 

Dagon was brilliant and very perceptive, she was a leader, you could see it in her aura. Beelzebub knew there was no need to play games with her, it wouldn’t bring good, nor would it be necessary. They smiled, as if they had just killed a prey and pulled out the purple feather. The demon gave them a look and they made sure to look back with the same energy.

 

« Where did you get that ? »

« Battlefield obviously, took me hours to find. »

  


Dagon looked the detail attentively, this feather was known by everybody, only one Angel had this peculiar color, it was Gabriel’s. Despite being known its beauty still caught eyes and surely among other Demons many, when they were still Angel had never seen in person Gabriel’s particular feathers. Dagon passed her finger on it and Beelzebub clenched their jaw.

 

« What for ? » She simply asked and Beelzebub closed the distance between them with a friendly gesture that Dagon accepted with a smile.

« To fill up.. My rage. » They emphasized their seductive tone. « You see, when Armageddon comes, I will go all for those little pretty feathers and rip them off one by one from their owner. » Beelzebub knew it might be a bit low for an explanation, but it passed.

« Uh-oh. » Dagon nodded, approving.

« Sound fun right ? »

« Without a doubt. »

« I like how you think, but now I need to put this little one in my new collection. » They smiled as they played with the feather and Dagon smiled back stepping on the side to let the Prince of Hell go as they wish.

 

Beelzebub glared at her on their way to leave, they would make sure she would come on top, she was smart and they liked her. They replaced the feather in the inside pocket of their coat and continued walking toward their personal quarter. It had advantage to be near the top of Hell’s hierarchy. There wasn’t much in it for now, a chair, a desk and a cabinet. But it was enough.

 

Once alone, they sat, both legs on the desk and took back the feather out. Dagon had left a trail of filth and it just filled Beelzebub with anger. They might appreciate her, but what she had done was unacceptable, touching THE feather, the only memory they had left of their friend, of Gabriel would be, in the future, sentenced severely.

 

They wouldn’t bring vengeance on her, no need for that, they had let it happen, but it didn’t mean they had liked it. For the next minutes they cleaned the feather with care, removing everything Hell-like to make it as pure and holy as possible like it was supposed to be. When it was done, they cast a protective barrier around it nothing besides them would be able to touch it for the rest of time, and if someone found a way to do it, a storm would be coming for them.

 

The feather was stunning and shined even more in their presence and Beelzebub couldn’t quit staring at it. It was breathing of Gabriel’s aura but it just felt like a faint memory, it was all they had left and it was unacceptable. It pissed them off. So much. How long until next time ? Until Armageddon ?

 

They had lost someone important to them and accepting that was the last thing they wanted to do.

 

 


	3. Gabriel return in Heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel return in Heaven, reeking Demon.

When Gabriel arrived in Heaven, he barely had the time to make some Angels envious of his wings until he was accosted by Uriel and Michael. They both glared at him, cold and unimpressed, walking around him, observant and he just relaxed, confident.

 

« You reek unholiness. » Uriel was calm and composed as always, yet, despite the tone being absent, it felt like being bitten.

« Where were you ? » Michael asked.

« Outside obviously, the whole world still stink of our fallen sibling, disgusting smell, am I right ? » He affirmed with a smile, not worried for a single second.

« You sweat unholiness like you rolled in it for hours, yet your wings are in pretty good shape. » Uriel pointed.

 

Some Angels stared watching, but Michael glared back a them, making them all cower and focus back on their ask and not a conversation that weren’t for them to hear. Everybody got back to work, nobody disobeyed Michael.

 

« I know you were close to the fallen Angel Ba’al-Zvuv, you usually took care of your wings together and right it seems like their work on your wings. You didn’t.. Meet them, I hope. » Michael questioned.

« It’s true, we were close, and after I passed so many times with them, it’s only fair for me to have the same wings grooming technique as them. The result wouldn’t be much different from what you all used to see. Now I can’t believe you would think I would meet them. They are fallen, and I have no mercy or respect for any of them. They disgust me ! Ba’al-Zvuv mean nothing to me anymore. I despite them. » His words felt like truth, because it truly was what he thought about their fallen sibling, maybe the part on Beelzebub was exaggerated, well, it was. But he needed to reassure his sister.

« Then why did you leave Heaven ? You could have groomed here. »

« I wanted some privacy, things we don’t have right now. »

 

Heaven was still in repair, the war had done so much damage that it was true, there was no place where you could stay without being seen by someone.

 

Uriel and Michael glared at each other, weighting the pro and con of Gabriel explanation. Then they turned to him.

 

« Alright. »

« Do not leave for so long, we need you here, with us, right now ! »

« I won’t. » He agreed without any resistance and it seemed to be enough.

 

Michael touched his wings, feeling their softness between her fingers.

 

« How did you manage that in so little time ? »

« Oh I have my secret ! » He winked.

« You surely do. Anyway, glad you’re back, we need your help in sector two. »

« I will go right away. »

 

The Archangel left each other, they had a lot of work and couldn’t spare more time in questions and futile talk.

 

It took a long time for Heaven to retrieve its glory but once done, the rhythm slowed down. Gabriel had personal new quarters and at the second he could he isolated himself in it. The Unholiness had worn off with the ambient Holiness, but Beelzebub work was still there and he spent hours admiring it, printing it in his memory as it had been the last time he met with Beelzebub for it.

 

He was going to miss those moments, well, he was already missing them.

 


End file.
